Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Summerfield LA

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Summerfield 71079

Summerfield LA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Summerfield LA is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Summerfield LA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Summerfield LA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Summerfield LA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Summerfield LA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Summerfield LA area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Summerfield LA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Summerfield LA residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Summerfield LA area and throughout Louisiana, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Summerfield LA physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Louisiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Summerfield LA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Louisiana or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have associations with Summerfield LA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional connections in the Summerfield healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Summerfield LA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Summerfield LA area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Summerfield Louisiana?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Summerfield LA area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Summerfield, Louisiana

Summerfield was founded in 1868 by W. R. Kennedy. It soon had four general merchandise and plantation supply stores, drug stores, a sawmill, and a gristmill. After its founding, with a population of 120, there were four churches, including Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Methodist Protestant, Missionary Baptist, and Primitive Baptist. The community was known for its school, good drinking water, and land, often available for as little as $5 per acre.[1]

The community has both Baptist and Methodist churches located off Highway 9. Kenneth Nutt is the pastor of the Southern Baptist Church, first organized in 1881. The Methodist Church, formerly known as Methodist Protestant, dates to 1876

Summerfield lies in proximity to the Monroe/El Dorado, Arkansas DMA market. Although in the Shreveport market, Monroe channels such as KTVE and KNOE can be received through an over the air antenna. Satellite subscribers receive their media from KTBS and KSLA, the ABC and CBS outlets in Shreveport.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist School near Summerfield LA

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Summerfield LA.